The Metamorphosis of the Butterfly
by Tracy Diane Miller
Summary: Summary: This very short story was inspired by "Don't Walk Away, Renee."


The Metamorphosis of the Butterfly  
  
Summary: This very short story was inspired by "Don't Walk Away, Renee."  
  
Disclaimer: Early Edition characters belong to whoever created them. No copyright infringement intended. No profit is being made. Some of the dialogue that appears in this story is not my own, but belongs to the writer of the Early Edition episode "Don't Walk Away, Renee."  
  
Author's Notes: I enjoyed writing "The Gary Hobson Mystique" and was pleased that so many readers also enjoyed my interpretation of our hero as a teenager. And as I've mentioned to those of you who have asked, I do intend to do a full length fan fic story at one point exploring Gary's high school years and in that story, I will be including a teen aged Renee. In the meantime, by popular demand, requests that I write a short story with Renee precipitated this story.  
  
I dedicate this story to Candi. I told you that it was coming. g.  
  
Author: Tracy Diane Miller  
  
E-mail address: tdmiller82@hotmail.com  
  
  
  
The Metamorphosis of the Butterfly  
  
The rain was vigilant with its steady pellets beating down on the tiny blue car. Perhaps even the gods were so amused by the fact that he was actually going out on a date that they had laughed themselves into a tearful stupor. And while he didn't want to admit it to Mom and Dad, it really had been a long time since he had been out on a date, since he's enjoyed himself. Dinner and a movie...a simple, uncomplicated date, right? God, then why did he feel so nervous? Dad had given him money for dessert and looked like the proverbial Cheshire cat in saying that he didn't have to worry about The Paper if he didn't make it home tonight. Of course, the hidden meaning behind Dad's statement hadn't escaped him. It was just like Dad to want to push the envelope and challenge him for a reaction, but he could have really done without that bit of commentary especially with Mom standing right there. And Mom...well, let's just say that he expected that she and Betty would be burning the telephone lines talking tomorrow maybe rejoicing over the accuracy of their "mothers' intuition".  
  
He glanced at her, swallowing hard as he drank in her beauty. In the back of his mind, he plotted a good night kiss. It would be a gentlemanly peck on the cheek, nothing more, that he would give her later.  
  
He must have been blind not to notice her all those years ago in high school. But then again, she had changed over the years from the poor little math nerd as she had put it. Now she exuded confidence not to mention the ability to deliver a powerful karate chop or a fierce kick to stun any aggressor. She had always been the smartest girl in school, a math prodigy. He realized that her brains intimidated most of the guys at Hickory Township High School, he included. And she certainly didn't keep those brains under lock and key. She was a well sought after tutor. She was a treasure in high school whose contribution to school spirit was saving many of the less academically endowed jocks from failing their courses and being prohibited from playing in the football games. But her beauty had been concealed under her braces and limp hair. However, like a caterpillar that metamorphosis into a beautiful butterfly, time had been very generous in awakening her beauty.  
  
Marissa often said that The Paper did things for a reason. Maybe there was a reason that The Paper had brought them together.  
  
Yet, a nagging thought percolated in his mind even as his mouth grew dry and his palms felt sweaty like some teenager on his first date who had successfully waged a war on acne, but was still afflicted with a terrible bout of adolescent insecurity. Was this just going to be a simple date, a one shot deal, or was he subconsciously hoping that something special would be ignited between him and Renee? Even when they were fleeing an assortment of bad guys hell-bent on stealing Renee's mathematical formulas to predict weather patterns, he found himself enjoying being with her. Even when they were handcuffed together, he enjoyed being with her. And Mom seemed like she enjoyed the handcuff adventure a little too much! And he even enjoyed it when she was shaving him...well, not the gash that she caused, but he enjoyed her touch. It was just so...  
  
He shook himself out of his musings and was about to start the car when the sound of her voice firing off unexpected questions paralyzed him.  
  
"Gary, there's one thing that's still bothering me." She began. "The explosion at the warehouse. How did you know about it?"  
  
"Well...ah..." He stuttered.  
  
"And then there's your parents' abduction and my mugging in the park. You know something I don't?"  
  
Maybe he owed her the truth if he hoped to have a relationship with her. Mom said that a person had forty-two chances at happiness. Well, he didn't want to wake up one morning and discover that he was an old man who had allowed all of his chances at happiness to slip right through his fingers because he was afraid to take the risk.  
  
But what if the truth turned her off? What if she thought that he was some kind of nut?  
  
He swallowed hard. "What if I told you that I get tomorrow's newspaper today every morning on my doorstep with a cat. See, that way I'm able to predict the future."  
  
He awaited her reaction.  
  
There was a brief silence before a smile crept on her face. Then she burst out laughing. "You almost got me there. Except for the cat. Had you said a dog, I would have been all yours."  
  
He felt his muscles relax as he returned her laughter pretending that his revelation was a big joke. Maybe ignorance (or denial) was bliss after all.  
  
They had a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant. The pasta was good, but not as good as looking into her eyes. They talked about everything...and nothing. But that was okay. And she made him laugh and laughter was something that had eluded him for a very long time. It felt so good to laugh. Then they went to the movies. But he had no idea what they saw. He was too busy watching her. As they shared a tub of buttered popcorn, he nervously wrapped his arm around her. She glanced at him signaling her approval with an appreciative smile. He smiled, too.  
  
The evening flew by all too quickly as he drove her home. Outside her apartment, he stumbled clumsily over his words as he asked her if he could call her again. She smiled telling him that she would be disappointed if he didn't. Then they kissed, so sweet, so tender yet with an undercurrent of passion that was rapturous. Maybe this was the beginning of something special.  
  
The rain had finally stopped. As he hailed a cab, he looked up at the clear Chicago skies. The stars twinkled in merriment as if the heavens were winking at him sharing his joy.  
  
And suddenly, at that moment, tomorrow looked brighter and the possibilities seemed endless.  
  
The End. 


End file.
